With the attainable exception of the snake that dropped into their bathroom the day they moved to Taos, N.M., not a lot scares Holly Scheib and Paul Wisneskey in a brand new home.
The couple’s third residence, for instance — a New Orleans Victorian they purchased within the early aughts — got here with a termite infestation and plumbing leak, however apparently, no kitchen or toilet. Now, seven homes and 5 states right into a 25-year marriage, they’ve perfected a sample: “shifting into a house that wanted work, fixing it up and constructing sweat fairness,” mentioned Ms. Scheib, 49.
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“They’ll stroll right into a home and, though it might not be an ideal match for them in its present state, they will simply see what modifications they may make to show that property into their dream residence,” mentioned Cyndi Gonzalez, an affiliate dealer with Berkshire Hathaway, who helped the couple discover a residence after Ms. Scheib accepted a job in Taos that required relocation from Santa Fe, 90 minutes south.
That fixer-upper mentality and an $800,000 price range afforded them ample alternative in Taos, the mountainous high-desert city identified for its Indigenous tradition, thriving artwork scene and alpine Ski Valley. However there have been just a few situations: Having simply been named director of group growth for the UNESCO-listed Taos Pueblo — residence to among the oldest repeatedly inhabited buildings in america — Ms. Scheib needed an inexpensive commute. Mr. Wisneskey, 55, wanted an area for his distant work as a software program architect for BigBear.ai, and significantly more room for the pinball machines he repairs and collects.
One other assortment requiring its personal actual property: the Mardi Gras paraphernalia the couple retains available for his or her yearly pilgrimage to New Orleans (most conspicuously, the motorized recliner that Mr. Wisneskey constructed to experience within the Laissez Boys parade).
For any home to be a severe contender, it additionally needed to have area for the couple’s two kids, although neither can be dwelling there full-time. Will, 21, is a dancer with the Grand Rapids Ballet, and Kate, 19, is a rising sophomore at Goucher School in Baltimore.
Aesthetically, the necessities had been fairly easy: a standard Taos vibe — an adobe or adobe lookalike with the uncovered wooden ceiling helps often known as vigas and latillas — and lovely high-desert views.
Even when the important thing parts weren’t fully there, the couple might refashion the remaining. “The design is all Holly,” mentioned Mr. Wisneskey. “I simply do the work.”
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